Lost in Alaska

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Sunburst (on a cloudy day) Turnagain Pass, AK

Anchorage, 43 degrees and sunny; Turnagain pass, 32 degrees and snowy!!!

Gretchen, Jack & Jasper in the uptrack.

We found a really dense wet snowpack on the western aspects of Sunburst.

Gettin pumped for the first run!

Jasper found an uptrack for the descent while I search for untracked pow pow.

Picture yourself inside a giant white ping pong ball, you can't tell which way is up or down, using the occasional shrub for a point of reference, if you stare to long upwards you get this weird sensation of vertigo.

Dog Face photo session, Alaska Style.

Gettin set for the second descent!!!

Making turns in the alders

Jasper taking a rest on the ride home

Friday, April 10, 2009

Snowcat Day - Notch Peak "Spring Storm Ski'n" w/ CPG

Getin syked for first fun.

Pumped up for some Cat Skiing with Chugach Powder Guides.

Guides giving the pre-ski brief for each run.

Super sick gnar gnar.
Dave H.

Good Friday 2009. 12,000 vertical feet skiied. 12in fresh snow dump in about 8-10 hours, and counting while we played.

Ray, the snowcat driver, gotta give him some love.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Saturday - Turnagain Pass = Eddies

According to Matt, "best ski day of the year"; which is saying alot for a guy that ski's over 60 days a season....

Celebrating the ability to ski killer powder on a sunny April 4th, we headed to Turnagain Pass. It was my third time skiing in the pass, Gretchen's first. Matt recommended Eddies, so off we skinned thru the woods.

The uptrack

Eddies bowl in the background

One of a kind untracked virgin powder for the taking!!!!

Doggie train

Jack attack doing that cute dog look

Nice.

ripping the heck out of some killer knar knar pow

gretch in the zone droppin the knee in some awesome untracked killer freshie pow pow

Skinning out.

Dog faces ready to exfil back to the patrol base for some steaks and beers, and dog chow

BFF.

Friday - Turnagain Pass = West Cornbiscuit

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mount Redoubt Blows Again

{Independence Mine with Redoubt Ash cover}

After months of Mount Redoubt going from Oranqe to Amber to Red and back to Orange then down to Yellow, it finally erupted this past week.

The initial eruptions sent ash north and north/west totally missing the Anchorage area, most ash fell within the Willow/Swketna/Chitna/Talkeetna area.

Later in the week Mount Redoubt erupted again blowing ash due east onto the Kenai peninsula.

Then, Saturday afternoon Anchorage got its due, spewing ash 65,000ft into the area, the winds just right blew ash north and north east onto the Turnagain/Anchorage/Matanuska area.

While leaving REI this fine dust fell all over us and our cars. It only fell for 2-3 hours, the light dusting really wasnt enough to worry about, but locals were still donning cloth masks and covering their vehicles parked outdoors.

{Microdot covered in ash}

These photos were taken today at Hatchers Pass.

We hoped to get some turns in, but decided with the dusting to ski another day, slightly worried about our dogs tramping thru the snow covered volcanic ash, but also concerned about getting the smaller than sand particles into all our ski equipment.

{Marmot Peak}

{El Dorado Bowl ash covered}

Happy Seward's Day!!!

March 27th, No Work, Seward's Day!!! Lets go skiing.

Jack and Jasper scouting the route.

Marmot before heavy clouds moved in and killed vis

Spring sales + nice tax return = fat new ski's!!!!!!!!!! (BlackDiamond Kilowatt's with BD O1 Telemark Bindings)

Dog faces kicking up the knar pow on the descent back to the car

Day Hike with OCF

Last Saturday I went for a 7 mile day hike with friends from OCF (Officers Christian Fellowship). I met up with Lloyd from OCF, and Eric from Joy Lutheran. I think the cold scared everyone else away, so we hiked out Crow Pass trail from the Eagle River Nature Center.